The global regenerative agriculture movement, the University of Minnesota community, and the twin cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis are in deep mourning following the sudden and tragic passing of Colin Cureton. A brilliant cross-sector strategist, serial eco-entrepreneur, and passionate advocate for “continuous living cover” farming, Colin passed away unexpectedly on Friday, June 19, 2026, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Colin was a rare institutional force who combined rigorous econometric analysis with the fearless grit of a startup founder. As the Director of Adoption and Scaling for the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative, the Co-Founder of Overstory Ventures, Manto Co, and Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC, he spent his career engineering the commercial supply chains for a next generation of perennial and winter annual crops. His revolutionary work sought to structurally transform upper Midwestern agriculture—protecting soil, water, and climate while creating tangible, lucrative economic survival paths for rural communities.
An Untimely Tragedy and Community Grief
The devastating news of Colin’s passing was confirmed publicly by Green Lands Blue Waters, a prominent regional agricultural cooperative network that worked hand-in-hand with his initiatives. In a poignant statement, the organization captured the collective shock and monumental loss felt across the agricultural sector:
“Our community has experienced a great loss of energy, intellect, innovation and connection. Our hearts go out to Colin Cureton’s family, colleagues and friends. We all miss him dearly – through the shock of this unexpected tragedy.”
Colleagues, farmers, and investors alike have expressed profound disbelief over the loss of a man whose boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm were the driving catalysts behind multi-million-dollar sustainability platforms.
Architectural Profile: Colin Cureton’s Lifelong Mission
In Loving Memory of Colin Cureton (1988 - 2026)
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Hometown Residence : Saint Paul, Minnesota
Date of Passing : Friday, June 19, 2026
Primary Profession : Director of Adoption and Scaling, UMN Forever Green
Venture Legacy : Co-Founder x3 (Overstory Ventures, Manto Co, Midwest Hazelnuts)
Academic Foundation : M.S. in Applied Economics & MPP in Food/Energy Policy (UMN)
Core Portfolio Focus : Regenerative Enterprise, Continuous Living Cover, Agroforestry
Major Crops Managed : Kernza® Perennial Grain, Hybrid Hazelnuts, Winter Camelina
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Academic Engineering of Food Policy
Colin’s ability to successfully scale complex agricultural products stemmed from an elite academic background at the University of Minnesota. He possessed a deep intellectual grasp of how macroeconomic policy directly dictates farmer behavior on the ground.
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Master of Science (MS) in Applied Economics (2012–2014): Colin underwent advanced statistical training in econometric analysis, multivariate regression, and forecasting. He utilized programming tools like SAS, Stata, and R to study the intersections of food systems, land use, and public health.
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Master of Public Policy (MPP) in Advanced Policy Analysis (2014): He augmented his economic toolkit by specializing in Food & Energy Policy, developing a sophisticated understanding of legislative levers, state appropriation models, and public-private intellectual property strategies.
Early in his career, Colin deployed these skills as a Senior Associate Consultant for TERRA SOMA, LLC, where he managed national food systems portfolios for governments and foundations. Notably, he served as the National Food Policy Researcher for the Blue Zones Project, conducting rigorous food environment assessments across 15 U.S. communities spanning a dozen states from Hawaii to West Virginia.
Transforming the Landscape: The UMN Forever Green Initiative
In April 2019, Colin brought his immense talents home to the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative, starting as a Supply Chain Development Specialist before being fast-tracked in August 2021 to Director of Adoption and Scaling.
Colin Cureton: Chronological Institutional & Entrepreneurial Impact
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[Sep 2016 - June 2026] --> Senior Associate Consultant, TERRA SOMA, LLC
[Apr 2019 - Aug 2021] --> Supply Chain Development Specialist, UMN Forever Green
[Aug 2021 - June 2026] --> Director of Adoption and Scaling, UMN Forever Green Initiative
[Aug 2023 - June 2026] --> Co-Founder, Manto Co (Rotterdam, Netherlands / Remote)
[Aug 2023 - June 2026] --> Co-Founder, Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC
[Sep 2023 - June 2026] --> Co-Founder, Overstory Ventures Studio
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At Forever Green, Colin commanded a ~$5M portfolio and led a dedicated 5-person team of specialists overseeing the commercial distribution of more than 12 new perennial and winter annual crops. He realized that environmental sustainability would only succeed if it made economic sense for the grower. Under his visionary guidance, the initiative drove massive market adoption for:
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Perennial Grains & Oilseeds: Revolutionizing fields with Kernza® perennial grain, perennial flax, and silphium.
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Winter Annuals: Introducing winter camelina, pennycress, and hybrid winter rye to protect soil during freezing months.
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Woody Perennials (Agroforestry): Scaling local industries around hybrid hazelnuts and elderberries.
The Ultimate Regenerative Entrepreneur: A Co-Founder x3
Recognizing that academic research must seamlessly interface with commercial markets, Colin became a prolific venture architect in the late summer of 2023, launching three interconnected entities designed to build a robust regenerative enterprise ecosystem.
1. Overstory Ventures
Co-founded in September 2023, this specialized venture studio was Colin’s vehicle for building impact-driven corporate entities capable of taking new regenerative crops straight to consumer-packaged goods (CPG) markets. Through Overstory, he connected globally leading regenerative finance networks and impact investors directly to the soil of the American Midwest.
2. Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC
Serving as the commercial spinout of the Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative, Colin co-founded this hybrid enterprise to establish a brand-new agroforestry industry. He brilliantly mapped out a stacked service model integrating plant nurseries, mechanical harvesting infrastructure, and processing. By 2024, his strategy was validated when partner nurseries completely sold out of inventory, leading to the deployment of his flagship “Go First Farms” network across Wisconsin and Minnesota.
3. Manto Co (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Demonstrating his global perspective, Colin co-founded Manto Co to take Kernza® perennial grain directly into the European B2C and B2B food and beverage markets. Operating remotely between St. Paul and the Netherlands, he managed complex import/export compliance, international fundraising, and European farmer resilience strategies, proving that climate-smart food could be both delicious and highly profitable on an international scale.
Outpour of Grief and Lasting Professional Legacy
The sudden loss of Colin Cureton leaves an agonizing void at the intersection of agricultural science, environmental policy, and venture capital. He was a rare leader who could speak with equal clarity to a multi-generational corn farmer, a university chancellor, and a European food manufacturing executive.
The Core Ideals of Colin Cureton's Life Work
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[Continuous Living Cover] -> Fought to ensure the earth was never left bare or vulnerable.
[Market-Led Transition] -> Replaced environmental rhetoric with profitable green supply chains.
[Ecosystem Engineering] -> Stood up nurseries, processors, and finance models from scratch.
[Unmatched Vitality] ---> Infused every boardroom and field with pure innovation and hope.
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He is remembered by his colleagues not just for the millions of dollars in grants he secured or the companies he founded, but for his deep kindness, his brilliant mind, and his absolute refusal to accept that climate destruction was inevitable.
Memorial Intentions and Final Arrangements
In light of the sudden and tragic nature of Colin’s passing, his family, colleagues at the University of Minnesota, and the leadership at Overstory Ventures are working together to ensure his monumental lifework continues uninterrupted.
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Institutional Continuity: The University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative has pledged to advance Colin’s scaling frameworks and policy models, ensuring that the 12+ crops he championed continue their path to global commercialization.
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The Colin Cureton Legacy Foundations: Discussions are currently underway among regional regenerative agricultural non-profits to establish a dedicated entrepreneurship scholarship or research endowment in his name, targeting young innovators focused on agroforestry and continuous living cover.
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Memorial Services: Official schedules regarding visitations, celebrations of life, and public memorial chapels within the Twin Cities will be formally announced by family representatives once finalized.
Colin Cureton spent his life sowing seeds—both literally in the fertile soil of the Midwest and figuratively in the minds of everyone who crossed his path. Though his final season has ended far too early, the perennial crops he brought to life will continue to emerge from the earth year after year, a beautiful, blooming monument to a man who lived to heal the planet. May he rest in eternal and beautiful peace.